Posterior Communicating Artery Hypoplasia: A Risk Factor for Vertebral Artery Dissection Causing Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Abstract

ObjectiveSubarachnoid hemorrhage due to vertebral artery dissection is often fatal; however, its anatomical predictors remain unclear. We conducted a retrospective hospital-based case-control study to evaluate whether variations in the posterior communicating artery are associated with the risk of vertebral artery dissection with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Materials and methodsWe obtained data from patients who underwent computed tomography angiography at our hospital between April 2010 and March 2020. Based on the connection between the anterior and posterior circulation of the arterial circle of Willis, the patients were categorized into a separated group (posterior communicating artery hypoplasia) and a connected group (all others). We evaluated the association between the development of posterior communicating artery and subarachnoid hemorrhage due to vertebral artery dissection using multivariate logistic regression analysis. ResultsThirty-eight patients had subarachnoid hemorrhage due to vertebral artery dissection and 76 were identified as age- and sex-matched controls. In conditional multivariate logistic regression analysis, the separated group showed a significant association with subarachnoid hemorrhage due to vertebral artery dissection, with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.8 (95% confidence interval, 1.2–6.5; P = 0.021). ConclusionsThe present study demonstrates that posterior communicating artery hypoplasia may be associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage due to vertebral artery dissection. Our results highlight the importance of anatomical variations in the cerebral artery and provide evidence to help develop preventive measures against strokes.